The Reason to Live
by Winged Lady Colette
Summary: He wants to see what kind of baby a Strain and a King can make.
1. Awaken

**Author's Note: So, here is yet another story! Sorry about that! But this one's K so... yay! I watched the anime when it first came out and absolutely loved it! But then there was very little follow up so I kind of forgot about it. But then I just got finished rewatching it and knew I had to write something about this amazing story, so, here we are! Let me know what you think! Remember, this is just from the anime and the little I've read so far from the manga. Let me know if I should continue! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**Warnings: Nothing much, just dark themes such as talk of suicide.**

**Word Count: 6,796**

,Anna felt a lot.

It was a common misconception amongst those that didn't know her. On the outside she appeared to be apathetic, stoic even, but on the inside, she felt things very strongly. She just didn't know how to express it, nor did she want to bother people with her feelings. She hardly wanted to bother people with her thoughts. She much preferred to keep to herself and stare on as the world went by. She was content with crawling deep within herself and hiding away from the rest of the world.

But then she met Homra, and that didn't seem like a possibility anymore. At first, she just couldn't understand why they wanted to know her. Why they wanted to hear what she had to say? Why they were so bent on trying to understand her feelings? Anna had, for so long, kept both of those things locked up tightly within herself that it was difficult to suddenly open the door and let them pour out. Like the people of Homra seemed to want of her.

Only, it wasn't just a wooden door found in any normal home that held Anna's emotions and thoughts within. It was a large metal door thicker than the length of her hand with chains wrapped around it with twelve different locks on them with twelve different keys and none of them in sight. She wanted to feel at peace with these people who rescued and loved her. She wanted to easily be able to reciprocate their obvious affections as the sensation was foreign to her and she sensed no malicious intent from her saviors, but she couldn't. Not easily, at least.

Anna had spent so much of her life building her walls, and sometimes, she spent all of her time constructing impenetrable defenses, that now that she wanted to tare them down; she didn't know how. It was like once she manages to get one lock open, it takes nothing short of a miracle of trying to open the next one. Sometimes, perhaps once in a blue moon is the better way to put it, all the remaining locks will just click into place and the door will crack open and all of her thoughts and feelings would just come tumbling out, shocking herself and everyone around her. But it never reached that ultimate peak. The door hadn't opened all the way. Not everything came pouring out. Anna was usually really embarrassed if just a little bit slipped passed her defenses. She didn't know what she would do if it all came rushing out of her at once.

Anna never wanted to think too much about it.

But it happened, she managed to fall in love with all the men in Homra. They made her feel like a princess and called her such. It made her feel beautiful and wonderful and important. She wasn't used to that, but she certainly didn't want it to stop.

Then Tatara died and that was the beginning of the end. It was her birthday, and he died. Murdered by the Colorless King. One day out of the year was suppose to be about her happiness, even though her special guys did everything they could to make everyday about her and her happiness, and it ended with the second to worst thing that could happen to her; Tatara died.

The number one worst thing that could happen to her soon followed: Mikoto died.

Anna didn't know it at the time, but when Tatara died, he forced open all of the locks and cracked the door open slightly. Yet somehow, nothing came flooding out. It was like she was numb to it. As if there was something back behind the door, holding the emotions back even more. Like a temporary wall of some sort. Anna never had much time to really understand. It was only when Mikoto died that Anna learned about her downed defenses. As soon as Homra's powers bestowed upon them by their one and only Red King were stripped away and disappeared into the stars and Mikoto said his final goodbye, Anna felt sadness and complete numbness.

Then they had his funeral and Anna stared on, brokenhearted, listening to the Homra mantra, "No blood, no bones, no ash." She could hear it through their sniffling and crying and yet not a single tear would escape her. All she could do was stare down at what should have been his body, trying to imagine the brilliant red that she knew fondly and loved deeply. But it wouldn't come back. It wouldn't wrap around his body as if it was always meant to be there. No, it _was _always meant to be there.

Just like Mikoto was meant to be there, by her side, leading Homra. Just being there. Never saying much with his mouth, but volumes with his presence. All he needed to do was lounge on one of the couches or sit at his usual stool at the bar and stare around the room to fill it with his very existence. He would look around the room, quietly observing, much like Anna, and it seemed to put everyone at ease. Mikoto, their King, was there, watching over them like a silent, stoic guardian.

But he wasn't. He was being buried. Figuratively. There was nothing left of their King to bury. Just an empty casket.

It was the days that followed when the numbness began to wear off as she watched the rest of Homra change. It was like the once thought unbreakable bond amongst the group of so-called ruffians began to splinter and crack apart. They were like a series of neatly interwoven links to a chain all seeming to fit smoothly into their own place perfectly. The loss of Tatara was like a callous removal of one single, important link that just about split the group in half. It was a mixture of rage and the silent promise of revenge that filled the space left behind by Tatara's once calm and gentle and loving aura.

But as they always say, finally achieving their long-awaited revenge just wasn't as sweet as the mental prospect seemed to promise. In fact, if anything, it tasted like nothing more than a foul reminder of what they lost. Because just moments later, their King died too.

Homra tried really hard. Anna is proud of them. They tried to stay tightly together. But where Tatara's death was the removal of a link, Mikoto's was like some form of corrosive acid was poured over them. Over time, the bonds between them began to melt away. They came by Izumo's bar everyday, gathering together trying to prove to the rest of Homra and probably themselves too, that they were all okay. That just because Mikoto is gone, it doesn't mean that Homra has to disappear too, but that didn't appear to be the case.

They tried hard, nonetheless. They would all show up, good day or bad, and try and spend time together. But Izumo's bar was like a constant reminder of the loss of two of their hierarchy. Tatara's loss returned with vigor, reinforced with the heavy weight of Mikoto's loss which only seemed to drag everyone down further. Everyone was always so sad.

At some point, Anna knew she had to go. It wasn't until she was almost fourteen, that she knew she had to do it for the people she loved and maybe a bit for herself. She couldn't stay in this place any longer. So she began to prepare to leave. Everyone in Homra grew further and further apart until the only time any of them showed up would be at special occasions. Like big holidays and Mikoto's birthday, but even then, after just four short years that got too hard as well. Those days were no longer times of happiness and jubilation, but instead a gaping reminder in each of their hearts that they were celebrating the life of someone who they all came to love and respect and knew would never return.

Anna knew death appeared to be Mikoto's only option, as his Sword of Damocles was badly damaged and close to falling anyway. She knew that Mikoto was haunted as well. That whenever he closed his eyes, dark things reached out and grabbed at him. It was the same for Anna. Different dark things but dark things nonetheless. Anna used to seek Mikoto out in the night, wanting to immerse herself in his red. In his warmth. Just being in his presence helped her escape those dark things. And he allowed her to stay close, neither accepting nor denying her the comfort of his person. And it wasn't until many months later that she realized why that was.

Because he was taking comfort in her person as well. They were an odd pair, but they somehow fit together. That's why it was hard for the boys to see her. It was a constant reminder to them of what they lost. Not long before then whenever they saw Anna, Mikoto was never all that far behind. But they never hated her for it, or resented her in anyway. They just grew sad as they looked passed her and saw Mikoto's long, lean form no where in sight. And that weighed heavily in the room.

It just grew too hard and Anna couldn't blame them. So one day, on her fifteenth birthday actually, she left the night of. Disappearing into the strange world beyond.

She hated herself for leaving Izumo behind without a personal goodbye. It was only in hindsight that she figured that a note seemed impersonal. She told him, and them, as surely he would show those of Homra that came back around every once and a while - Yata, Kamamoto, Eric, and Fujishima were the ones that came by the most since Mikoto's passing, that note and express that they keep their eyes out for her. The others would all pop in, one time or another, but not as often as before and probably wouldn't learn about Anna's disappearing act until the dust had long since settled.

Anna spent the better part of six months trying to make it in the city. A lot of her time was just spent wondering. But for some reason, Anna can't seem to remember where she did or who she spoke to. She knew right away that she avoided the former red clan members, knowing that they would just insist that she return to the bar and try and hold their dysfunctional family together. But Anna wasn't her person they needed to keep Homra alive.

Mikoto was.

But now that she is trying to think about the last few months, she can't. She knows that the memories are there, but every time she tries to reach out for them they slip through her fingers like water. And when she tries hard to focus on them, her mind begins to hurt. It's as if there is black spots in her memories, preventing her from drawing any or all of them over. She can somewhat recall glimpses, fragments perhaps, of those six months, but the very last thing that Anna can remember right now is heaviness.

Her entire body is heavy, as if it's being held down. It's difficult to breath and beneath the numbness that has settled around her is pain. Pain everywhere. But she doesn't know how bad it really is, because it feels as if it's happening deep within her. So far away it's like a candle on the opposite side of a darkened out football field. She's on one side, staring at the flickering candle on the other side. She knows the pain is there, but it is hardly a blip on her radar.

When she manages to pry her heavy eyelids open, she is staring at a old style hanging light on an unfinished basement ceiling. She can hear rapid beeping noises in her ear, but even that sounds far away, and she's shaking. Very badly, but she doesn't know why. She's having such a difficult time thinking. It's like cotton has filled her head, making it difficult to force some kind of thought through to the forefront of her mind.

Then Anna became aware of something - fear. She's afraid. So very afraid, it's strange. She's shaking from fear and when she swallows, her throat feels as if there's a block of wood in the center of her throat. She's dehydrated, her mind informs her and it's then that she realizes that she can't really feel her powers. It's as if she's on something. Something that's creating this haze.

Like... like...

Drugs.

Anna was drugged. How long was she drugged? She didn't know. But having realized the predicament she's in, her mind sharpens and the hanging light above her starts to gently sway back and forth. Casting shadows across the entire room, but all she can do is stare at the ceiling. Watching the light sway back and forth. Everything is shades of black and white and gray.

Back and forth, the light swings. Anna can hear someone talking to her, the candle on the other side of the football field getting brighter as the pain seems to increase, but Anna still could barely feel it. She mentally grabs hold of the pain and focuses on it, letting it pull her further from the fog that was surrounding her brain. Further and further. Back and forth. Again and again. The bulb grows brighter and brighter. The room begins to shake, slightly at first but before long the tremors were shaking the whole building, rattling it on it's foundation. Anna could hear things around her and from above - glass and heavy objects - fall to the ground and shatter or hit with a heavy thud.

Someone is talking to her, a slight urgency in their voice. Anna can't hear the words or discern which gender the speaker is, it's just an unsettling noise in the background, something barely heard over the shaking. The beeping next to her is getting louder, closer to the surface, easier to hear. The candle grows brighter, gets closer. She's in so much pain, like fire through her veins. Lightning bolts of pain shoot up and down her spine and her eyes water, pool up, partially blinding her before they slide out of the corners of her eyes, allowing her sight again.

The bulb above her begins to flicker, over-powering. There is a surge of electricity in the air, causing long silver strands of hair to float around her head slightly. Someone moves into view, but Anna closes her eyes. A conditioned response, she realizes but for the life of her, she can't remember why. All she knows is that whoever this is, is hurting her. Or has been hurting her for a long time, yet for some reason, the memories will not come. She can't understand.

She's crying. Tears streaming down her face, throat raw as her lips move, sprouting gibberish. She wished she had never left Homra. She wished she had just dealt with their looks, their sadness, or perhaps worked harder to keep them together. She wished that she was able to show them, both when Tatara was alive and after he passed, that she needed them and that she would do anything to keep them together. She would have wrapped her arms around her King and held onto him so tightly that he couldn't leave this world without taking her with him.

But Anna didn't want to die. She wanted to live. She wanted to be with her family. She wanted to grow up with them and learn everything there was so know about each and every one of them. She wanted to be able to get married and have children of her own and be able to be with them and watch them grow up. Not leave them behind like Anna's parents, and later Aunt did, intentional or not. She wanted to be with the red clan forever. She wanted to live.

But Mikoto didn't.

For some reason, whether she didn't know it or did and just didn't want to believe it, Mikoto wanted to die. At night, with Anna curled up next to him, listening to his steady, strong young heart beat in his chest and his deep even breaths, she could feel the nightmares crawling beneath his skin. Pulling and tugging, ripping him apart at the seams. And more often than not, he would awaken. He wouldn't jerk away or gasp back into reality - no, he would open his eyes, whether he was on his side or on his back, and curl into Anna.

Anna didn't know if Mikoto knew she was awake or not, but they never spoke about it. He would wrap his arms around her and pull her close, if she wasn't already pressed as tightly as she could to him, and hide his face in her hair, trying to calm the racing heart in his chest, the subtle shaking of his hands that he would hide by either clenching them into fists or by holding onto her equally as tight.

Most times it didn't last long. Once he calmed down enough, he would pull away, roll back onto his back and stare at the ceiling, unable to sleep for the rest of the night, but continue to lay there as if he was. Then he would nap extra long the next day. Protected by the sunlight.

Anna rarely had many nightmares when she slept with Mikoto. His scent of Tabaco and soap in her nose, warm breath washing across her face, aura wrapped around her managed to easily chase her nightmares away most of the time. And she would like to believe, one way or another, that she helped Mikoto too. That when he did awaken, frightened and stuck momentarily back in the past were his demons were most prevalent, that he was able to extract even the minutest bit of comfort from Anna's presence too.

"Anna?"

Anna opens her eyes, the person in her vision is gone and the gentle eyes of Tatara stare down at her. After Mikoto died, both he and Tatara came to her in moments of great stress or sadness. She knew that they weren't really there, but just seeing them again, hearing them speak helped trick her, if only for a moment, that everything was okay.

Like in life, ghost-Mikoto never said much. He just stared back at her with bright golden eyes, silently picking her apart. Healing her broken heart with his presence, just as Mikoto would. Never a man of many words. And he came by a lot less than Tatara, but he was always a relief to see.

But right now, as far as Anna could seem only Tatara was there. A true testament to just how upset she is right now.

"Are you okay, Anna?" Tatara asks, staring down at her loving brown eyes, untouched by age and death. He looked the exact same as he did the night he died, fifteen minutes before Anna's birthday. But then again, what else could Anna expect? Even though she is in an obvious state of panic, as the beeping next to her has only increased, so has the buildings shaking, it's nice to be able to focus on something else. Like her lost Tatara.

Anna's lips move, but she doesn't know what she's saying. But it doesn't really matter. Tatara can't really hear her, so he wouldn't have to know. He just smiles sadly down at her.

"I miss you, Anna, but that doesn't mean I want to see you just yet. Not like this. Not after what has happened," Tatara says, but doesn't elaborate and Anna can't ask him too. Her knows as much as she does. That's all there is to it.

"I'm so proud of you," Tatara continues, "Mikoto and I both. Although our illustrious King is less than pleased about you leaving the safety of Homra." Of course he was, because that was how Anna remembered him. "He'd be pretty upset with you too, little princess. He'd grab you by the scruff of your neck and haul you back up onto the bar stool back home, just like always." Tatara laughs, it's a lovely sound, distorted slightly from Anna's fractured memories. Why is it becoming harder and harder as time goes by to remember all of the little things?

On that old style camera that seemed glued to his hand a great portion of the time was for preserving the moments with others. He wasn't in any of the videos, if Anna recalled. Not except for the last one. The one where he died in front of the camera. Tatara's only moments caught on that camera's film happened to be his last and if this wasn't about death - more specifically _Tatara's death _- there would be something tragically poetic about it.

"I love you, Anna," Tatara says, reaching out, as if to touch her but never making contact. He used to be able to, when she was able to remember exactly what he felt like. But over time, the feeling got weird because she was having a harder time remembering and ghost-Tatara lost the ability to touch her. Mikoto wasn't very touchy feely to begin with so ghost-Mikoto never had the chance.

The light sways back and forth behind Tatara's head, but the shadows don't affect him. He's on a completely different plain of existence, one that not even shadows could touch. In a way, that thought made her feel a bit better for Mikoto. Perhaps death offered him the salvation he sought for in life. But Anna didn't know. Not for certain. But she could always hope. For Mikoto's sake.

"I love you, Anna," Tatara repeats, because Anna needed him too. Her eyes well up with fresh tears, making it hard to see again. "Mikoto too," he adds, because Anna needed that too. She feels his presence before her eyes clear enough to see him.

Mikoto leaned over her, hands on either side of her head, blocking out Tatara's face. His face is a blur, a mess of features behind the bright, vibrant red that Anna remembers so vividly.

"You shouldn't have run away, brat," Mikoto says and Anna cried harder. She knew she shouldn't have and greatly wished that she hadn't. But somehow, hearing it in Mikoto's voice, made the pain in her chest hurt so much more. Where had he been last year when she made the decision to leave? But then again, that was to be expected. Mikoto supported individuality. He wanted people to make their own choices. Anna doesn't have the confidence to mentally delve too deeply into that. She doesn't want to know if Mikoto would have still let her live if she wanted to, had he been alive.

But then again, Anna wouldn't have wanted to leave, had Mikoto been alive.

"I know," Anna rasps, barely able to hear herself. Her voice is thick and the tears are free flowing. "I just want to go home!"

"It's okay, Princess Anna," Tatara says, shaking his head slowly. "It's okay to want to give up. Mikoto did. And he's the strongest person we know!" The way he said it, it was as if it was meant to somehow make her feel better, but it didn't. The fake Tatara didn't miss a beat, Anna thought those words would make her feel better, but they didn't. "You can be with us, Anna, if you really want to."

Yes, she did really want to. The pain of her body took backseat to the pain in her soul. It's now that she becomes aware of just how powerful the vortex of her power is circling around her. Crackling like lightning, ripping apart the foundation, she had no control anymore. Without her marbles, her powers reigned supreme and took control, all on their own. And Anna didn't stop them. She didn't even try.

Anna didn't want to think about how the real Tatara would not let her give up her life so easily. No, right now, she wanted the encouraging Tatara to tell her that perhaps death really was okay. In her heart, beneath the fear and pain, she knew that she couldn't somehow pull herself from this. When Mikoto died, Anna lost the ability to cope. That eventually led her leaving Homra and the people that even now she still loved.

It was only a matter of time before the blue clan found her. She isn't sure how she managed to avoid them for as long as she did, especially since Mikoto died. As she aged, her abilities matured and grew in strength. She didn't know why they left her alone, perhaps for Mikoto's sake, but after four years, she figured they would have finally came for her, but they didn't. Anna didn't know why, and she never wanted to speculate.

Anna didn't know who was with her, or what they were doing, but all she did know was that she was done letting them play with her. The tremendous shaking of the building increased and the power - including the light bulb above her - blew out. The beeping next to her sputtered out and the entire room went black, except for red. There was a red glow around her. She knew how to use the abilities she could not remember. She pushed, with all her might, mentally at the foundation of the building, hearing it crack and splinter.

Something loud fell next to her. Someone was screaming at her, hot, wet hands gripped her upper arms but she closed her eyes again. Even though she was unable to see in the blackness anyway. She felt her powers pulsing through her like a heart beat, taking over where the machine left off. Faster and faster. Rolling off of her in waves. Perhaps the blue clan was already on their way. Surely their King could easily feel the amount of power radiating off of the long white haired girl. They would come to investigate but it wouldn't matter. Anna decided that her life was best served as a red clansmen. Without a Red King - no, without _Mikoto _as Red King - that position was meaningless.

"You can come with us," Tatara whispers in Anna's ear. She can't see him and can only barely hear him over the shaking of the building as it crumbles around her. Falling apart board by board.

"Yeah..." Anna whispers, pushing her awakening power - working it like an under used muscle, with great difficulty - pushing for more and more. Somehow, she knew, whoever this was with her could not win. Win what, she didn't know. All she could figure out was that they were bad news and needed to be destroyed. Anna just couldn't figure out why she hadn't done this before. Perhaps she had some kind of false hope that kept her submissive, but she doesn't remember. All that matters now, is stopping whoever this is. Stopping him or her from getting what they wanted.

Yes, the anger and rage lining the fear in her gut expands, filling her being. Whatever they did to her, she was going to make them pay for. Her soul was furious, if the wild tangling tendrils of her flailing powers were any indication, even if her mind was slowly slipping away. The center of her chest tightens so greatly that it makes it impossible to breath. Her power curls there tightly like a snake preparing to rear back and strike. Building, bigger and bigger until it springs out, ripping through her body as if it were wet tissue.

The pain was unlike anything she had ever felt before and then nothing. Painless, bottomless, blackness.

* * *

><p>Anna never wanted to think much about death. Too much had happened in her too short of life to want to think about it. So she's not sure what she expected when she did die, but the feeling of floating was it. Her back was straight and her hair was heavy, tugging down at the back of her head. And she was cold, stuck in a literal vortex, it felt like. But when she tried, she couldn't open her eyes. It's almost like they're glued shut.<p>

Once she became aware of the cold, she became aware of the voices. Multiple voices. Calling out to her. At first, she couldn't make out what they were saying. But she could sense urgency and worry in their voices and the first thought to filter through her brain was that it was that person. The one she couldn't remember but hated enough to want to kill. But then she just... knew that it wasn't. She wasn't afraid of these voice. She was worried for them. Somewhere in the very back of her mind, she remembered them.

It was then that Anna became aware of herself. Like an out of body experience. She could feel around herself. She could feel the cold air tugging at her hair and clothes, raising goosebumps on her arms. But why is she having such difficulty lifting her eyelids or really moving. She can feel her power, not as violent as before, swirling around, acting like a barrier as it did back in that basement. The hairs on her arms stand on end and a shutter runs through her body.

"-na!"

Anna jerks, involuntarily. She focuses on her ears, trying to hear past the maelstrom of power swirling around her. Her throat constricts again. She felt something. Deep in her chest. She felt something very strongly. But she couldn't think of what it was.

"-na! Anna!" Someone calls out to her, but it sounds so far away. She forces herself, as hard as she can, to open her eyes. They peel open painfully, but they open. The first thing she sees is the white ceiling. And it's not nearly as far away as it used to be. She can see imperfections in the pain from being this close as opposed to if she was probably standing on the ground.

"Anna! Wake up!"

But she was awake. She blinks a few times, trying to pull her muddled thoughts together. What had happened? Her memory now was even worse than before. Just trying to think hurt her head and with each painful pulsation at her temples, gave her another shutter and renewed the goosebumps.

She turns her head slowly, recognizing the room but the memory wouldn't come to her when summoned. Her eyes land on the people standing, just barely into the room, all their hands are up, almost as if to shield their faces. Blurs of red spinning around her like a protective bubble, warning all to not get close. As she stared at the blurred men, their features began to sharpen, clear up in her mind.

The first one she could make out was Tatara, staring up at her with wide, worried eyes. One hand holding the other, as if he somehow hurt himself. Anna's not sure why she's so surprised. Of course, naturally. He would be the first to welcome her - where? Where was she? Then, looking around at all the other faces she recognized the others in Homra. Erik, Fujishima, Yata, Kamamoto, Bondo. Everyone, except for Mikoto and Izumo.

No, Mikoto was there. The men were parting like the red sea for Mikoto, and Izumo who was right behind him, to come to the very edge of the swirling vortex. The two strands of hair in front of his face whip back and forth, but Anna doesn't care. She doesn't notice. All she can do is stare at his beautiful, most brilliant red. Even more vibrant than she remembered. Igniting like a fire around him.

Anna could only stare into the red that was purely Mikoto. Oh how she missed that red. Her memories could not compare. They would never be as good as the real thing. Is this what - where was she? - was like? Being able to see the ones that one loved and lost. But the rest of Homra wasn't dead, as far as Anna knew. But in a poetic sense, she lost them all just the same.

The tears welled up in her eyes but only managed to dry up with the intensity of the whirling red around her, funneling her power.

"Anna," Mikoto says, even in his soft, bored voice, it seemed to rip right through the vortex and right into Anna's ears. Just the sound of it made her heart hurt. This truly was... heaven. Yes, that's right. She died. She made that building collapse on top of her and whoever was in or around that building. Did strains go to heaven? Anna didn't know. But Mikoto was there, whether spiritually or just another conjured illusion her mind made for her, it didn't matter. He was there.

Mikoto had spoken to her again, but she didn't catch it. She was lost in her own thoughts. She had to focus.

He must have noticed the confused look on her face because he sighs and looks around. He reaches his hand forward, toward the blur of red. Tatara, to his right, reached out for him with his good hand, calling out his name and then saying something that sounded like, "Marbles."

Marbles?

Mikoto tilts his head slightly, not looking concerned at all before reaching forward and into the vortex. There is a loud rattling from his bracelets bouncing off of one another. A blur of red, going around the circle, heads right for him and at the last moment deters around his hand, avoiding it completely. That seemed like enough for both Tatara and Mikoto, because Tatara pulled back the hand he had rested on Mikoto's shoulder and Mikoto stepped into the vortex. His aura rippling around him, nonthreateningly. In fact, it almost appeared to be comforting.

Mikoto slowly draws closer to Anna, floating off her bed in the center of the spiraling air. His face was impassive, if not slightly determined as he made his way closer, one hand held up to block his face from either the flying red blurs or from the cold air all together, Anna didn't know. Mikoto steps up onto her bed and stares up at her. Anna slowly spins around mid air until she's vertical, floating just high enough to see over Mikoto's head, even with him standing on her bed. Wait, her bed?

He's close enough to touch her but he does. He just stares into her eyes and for a moment, Anna's vision clears. The white, gray and black fade a bit and color shines through. Not just red. But a different color. So bright in Mikoto's eyes. Not his beautiful red, but a different color. One Anna thought was just breath-taking.

"Anna," Mikoto says again, just as softly as before, but far easier to hear with their closer proximity. "You're safe now."

And just like that. Four simple words and everything stopped. The vortex settled in an instant, leaving four floating red orbs - Anna's marbles - precariously hanging in the air, completely unmoving. Anything small, like hair ribbons and paper all strewn across the room in the chaos descend to the float slowly. All the Homra men slowly pull their hands down, no longer needing to protect their faces, but they're still tense.

"Mikoto...?" Anna whispers, reaching out a small hand, smaller than she remembers, to touch his check, but stopped. She didn't want to touch Mikoto and have it feel strange. She didn't want her faulty memories to rip apart the gentle bits of affection the Red King offered her. So she pulls her hand back and settles for studying him. It was originally difficult to see past the red when it came to Mikoto, not that much wanted to, but now staring at him, he was exactly as she remembered. Tall and lean and strong. His boredom written clearly on his face, but the worry unmasked in his eyes.

Because just like Anna, Mikoto felt a lot.

"Mikoto!" Tatara calls, drawing the gaze of the Red King. Tatara points with the same hand he had originally placed on Mikoto's shoulder at the floating red marble just three feet in front of him, wavering, bobbing slightly. With Mikoto's keen eyes, he could see all of the marbles wavering. Dipping lower and lower as the power began to pull back inside of the young strain. He turns back to Anna and she watches with wide red eyes as he reaches out to place his hands on her waist. Strong hands easily wrapping around the small body.

Anna jerks a bit, the marbles fly up a bit, making Homra jump and scoot back a step or two, before they continue bobbing up and down. Anna could feel heat pouring in from his hands through the thin cotton nightgown she was wearing and into her skin. Not even when she still allowed ghost-Tatara to touch her did it feel this warm. Did it feel this real.

Anna expected tears, but instead her hands started to shake. She could feel her emotions banging against the large metal door holding them back and for some reason, Anna felt cheated. She should be able to cry. So why couldn't she?

Daringly, and very _very _slowly, Anna reaches out with boy hands and touches the smooth cheeks upon her beloved King's face. First with just the pads of her fingers, and then her entire hands, cupping his larger face between little hands. He had to of felt them shaking. She could bet Erik, who was the furthest out the door, standing on his tip toes to see in, could probably _see _her hands shaking. Mikoto had to feel it.

But his face didn't change. It remained as impassive as usual.

"Mikoto...?" Anna whispered again, daring to hope. What was going on? For certain this was all just a dream. A hallucination conjured up by her fragile and hurt mind. But either way, she didn't want it to end. She didn't want this moment to become a fleeting one. "Mikoto...?" She whispers again, eyebrows pulling together. The pads of her fingers rub his skin gently, as if worried that he would shatter beneath even the gentlest of touches.

Mikoto blinks slowly, not seeming to mind the little hands on his face. He's studying her closely, she realizes. Analyzing her. Finally, after a whole moment of them just standing there, he says, "You can let go. I've got you."

Conscious Anna didn't know what he meant by "let go" but unconscious Anna got it right away and pulled her power back until the marbles hit the floor and bounced into random corners of the room and Anna's full weight dropped into Mikoto's arms. He didn't appear to mind as he pulls her close for a moment to adjust his grip before stepping back off the bed and onto the floor. A split second later Anna realized that he was going to lay her down and without thinking, her arms flew out and wrapped around his neck, pulling him close.

"Mikoto!" she softly cried into his right ear. Now the tears came. The locks clicked into place and the door slid open, just a crack and the emotions came out. "Mikoto! Mikoto!" Saying his name over and over again like a mantra, Anna hoped and prayed that this wasn't a dream. And if it was, that she would never awaken from it.


	2. Decisions

**Author's Note: A little bit of buzz, so I thought I'd keep going and see what will happen. Let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

**Warnings: Nothing much, just dark themes such as talk of suicide.**

**Word Count: 5,517**

It took the better part of ten minutes before Anna finally stopped saying Mikoto's name over and over again. Mikoto had shifted Anna in his arms so one is wrapped around Anna's waist and the other is under her knees. Anna keeps her arms tightly around the Red King's neck to ensure he doesn't try and put her down just yet. She just can't bare to part from her King just yet. Thankfully, he obliges, holding onto her.

But he wouldn't be called the Lazy King, if he didn't sit down about thirty seconds into holding her. Even though it would have been easier to just let her settle on his lap rather than to just hold her, but he seems to be content.

Anna has her nose buried in the junction of the neck and shoulder on the left side breathing in Mikoto's unique scent. Tobacco and soap. Her fingers gently running through the slightly curled red hair at the nape of his neck. She didn't really know she was doing it, but she's glad that he didn't appear to. She was worried that he would lay her down on the bed and then slip away. Turn in the same red fireflies as before and scatter to the wind. Leaving her and everyone else behind as he does. It's at that moment that Anna is mad at Mikoto.

Mad at him for not seeing her or the rest of Homra as a reason to live. He had demons, yes, and he battles with his powers as King more times than not, but he couldn't look into the eyes of the people that loved him and decide to keep living. And it was decided when Tatara died. Anna didn't know that their relationship was that deep. Whenever they interacted, they never seemed more close than when either interacted with others. So now Anna has to watch them more closely, perhaps the answer will come to her if she observes.

She digs her nose into the side of Mikoto's neck a little bit more. After a few minutes of silence Mikoto finally says, "Have you calmed down now?"

"Yes..." Anna says softly, torn between holding onto her King tighter and letting him go. She doesn't want to risk letting him go only for him to disappear right before her very eyes once more. But she has to sooner or later let him go. Because that's reality and reality sucks. The real world be damned, if Anna had the choice, she would live in a world strictly Homra. No Scepter 4, or bad guys. No need to go out bounty hunting and cleaning up the territory of bad people. No need for anyone to go home or get sick or die. They could all just stay together like one big family.

Anna finally pulls back to sit on Mikoto's lap and looks up at him with large red eyes, taking in his brilliant red. Yes, she would stare at this beautiful red as much as she could. She wasn't going to miss the chance of committing it so deeply into memory that she would never be able to forget it. That every time she closed her eyes, she would see it. She would, in Tatara's words, "click her heart's shutter" and keep the picture in her heart forever. And even though she tried that before, it proved fruitless. She forgot such important things about her friends.

Like laugh and touch, such important things that slipped away from her. That when she needed them most, they vanished. She's not going to let that happen again. The memories of a human are so fragile. They slip away way too easily.

Someone takes Anna's hand and she turns to see Tatara moving to sit next to Mikoto, holding her hand tightly and smiling kindly. Feeling the warmth of Tatara's hand, while unmatched in comparison to Mikoto, makes her want to cry again. It had been so long, she forgot just how soft his hands were. The tips of his fingers had callouses from playing the guitar and cutting himself while cooking, but other than that, they are really soft. Yes, this is what she forgot. This is why ghost-Tatara couldn't touch her anymore. She had forgotten this.

She brings up her other hand to cover his, relishing in his familiarity.

"How are you doing, Princess Anna?" Tatara asks softly. "Are you feeling better now?"

Anna nods, running her small fingers over the smooth back of Tatara's hand, leaning against Mikoto. "Yes. I'm... s-s-" she shakes her head, wondering why it's so hard to just apologize.

"It's okay," Tatara says, squeezing her head encouragingly. "No one's mad. Right, King?"

"Ah..." Mikoto says, appearing to only be half listening. His focus still on Anna, trying to pick her apart with his eyes.

Tatara nudges Mikoto a bit with his shoulder, smiling when the man returns the action with a blank look, before he asks Anna, "Do you want to tell us what happened?"

Anna didn't know how to answer that. In a way, yes, she did. She wanted to spill her guts and tell her King and caretaker and the rest of Homra standing around the room, lounging around waiting for all of this to simmer down. She wanted them to know what she saw, her horrible nightmare or perhaps horrible vision. Never before had she had such a long vision. She can't even say it was all that vivid, especially nearing the end of it. She knows if it's a nightmare, it's best to put it from her mind before it drives her crazy, and if it's a vision, she'll have to deal with it eventually.

But she doesn't want to now.

Which brings her to the no, she didn't want to talk about it. She just wants to have one day, _one second _where the horrible thought of loosing everything that she's ever loved. She wants to get it off her chest but she doesn't want to worry anyone unnecessarily. She has to do some thinking about it, maybe dig up some information and figure out what to do from there.

So Anna shakes her head, not trusting herself to speak. Tatara's face doesn't change from his gentle smile, but he does ask, "Are you sure?"

Anna nods, wrapping her little hands tighter around Tatara's. "Yes..."

Tatara kisses the back of her hand. "Alright, then, Princess. When you're ready to talk, we're ready to listen. So, how about some food?" Anna was about to shake her head, she doesn't feel too well and doesn't want to eat when she hears a low grumbling noise right next to her. So loud that everyone in the room heard it.

Yata's hand goes flying up to his face to smother his laughter while Dewa, Shohei and Bando grin at each other. Izumo looks very amused while Kamamoto has a half smile. Tatara grins at the Red King, being one of the closest to the red haired man.

"King," Tatara says sweetly to the man staring around the room at anything but the people in it. Anna feels a small smile tug at her lips as she stares up at her King. Izumo reaches up with his left hand to cover his lips as Tatara continues, "How about you? Are you hungry?"

Mikoto narrows his eyes slightly, not angry, not even really annoyed. There is a long silence as he stares around the room at all of his vastly amused vassals and princess before sighing and grunting out an "ah" which means 'yeah' in Mikoto-tongue.

Chitose stands up, patting Dewa on the shoulder with one hand and rubbing his messily styled light brown hair. "I'd say we save our beloved King from wasting away to nothing and go down and get some grub."

"Waste away? Is something wrong with Mikoto?" Anna asks softly, looking around the room.

Izumo, who was leaning against Anna's desk, pushes off and crosses his arms over his chest. "Yeah, there is, Anna. The ferocious lion king of our little pride has yet to have his seven servings of food today." Yata snorts loudly in laughter, leaning on Kamamoto.

Mikoto stares at Izumo for a long moment before tilting his head ever so slightly. "I don't eat that much," he finally says. Anna looks around the room at all the amused and happy looks on everyone's faces and she can feel herself relaxing a little bit more every couple of seconds. Yes, this is what she wanted. She wants to be surrounded by these people, watching them smile and laugh and spend time together.

"I'm hungry," Anna lies, but doesn't want this moment to end. "Can we go eat together?"

Tatara squeezes Anna's hands in both of his, standing up. "Yes, Princess. Let's go down and eat. What are you hungry for?"

Anna leans into Mikoto's chest a bit, relishing in the warmth for a few moments before looking up at her King's face with large red eyes. "What do you want to eat, Mikoto?"

Mikoto shakes his head, digging around in his pocket for his pack of cigarettes. He pulls one out and sticks it in his mouth, but doesn't light it while Anna's right in his lap. He looks around the room for a moment before his eyes settle down at Anna and he mumbles, "Waffles." Anna nods in agreement. She would try to eat if Mikoto wanted her to.

"Waffles sound great," Tatara says, standing up. "How about we step out so our princess can get dressed and meet us downstairs for breakfast?"

There is murmurs of agreement as all the men in Homra stand up and pile out of Anna's room. Yata and Eric elbowing each other. Eric saying something in English and angering Yata.

"Hey," Izumo calls, following after them. "If either of you break something in my bar with your squabbling, I'm going to put both of you on bitch duty for a week," he threatens, voice fading as he gets farther away.

"Do you need any help, Anna?" Tatara asks as Mikoto finally puts the young strain down on the bed and stands, stretching his long torso, hands over his head before he falls easily back into his typical slouch. Anna already misses his warmth and the feel of Tatara's hands.

She shakes her head. "No," she says because now she knows how to dress herself properly. But as soon as the words leave her mouth, she immediately asks, "But could you do my hair, Tatara?" That was also something she now knew how to do, but she liked it a lot more when Tatara did it for her. She liked the way his hands felt in her hair, so soft and gentle with her delicate scalp.

The thin hobbyist is practically glowing. "Of course, Anna. Just call me, I'll be waiting outside the door." With that, Mikoto and Tatara leave, Mikoto shutting the door behind him. Anna takes a moment to look around at her destroyed room. She takes a few minutes to straighten it up a bit the way she remembered it and then pulled on her red and black Lolita dress that was as warm and cozy as she remembers, pulling on her stockings and then her shoes before opening the door to see Tatara standing, as he promised, outside her door, leaning against the wall, lost in thought.

"Tatara?" She calls out to the older man softly.

The light brown haired man pulled himself from his thoughts and straightens up, smiling brightly. "Oh, all done, Anna?" She nods and steps aside to let him into the room. "Oh and you cleaned up a bit! Good girl, Anna!" Tatara pulls her to him and hugs her tightly. Anna blushes, closing her eyes for a few moment to try and ingrain this feeling into memory. She can't forget this. She can't forget Tatara's feeling.

He pulls back too soon and walks her over to the vanity, scooting it slightly back into place before he began to pick up Anna's once favorite hat and her hair ribbons that she had thrown back up there as she was cleaning along with detangling spray and her hair brush. He goes through the long and tedious process of spraying her hair down and then brushing through it slowly as to not hurt Anna in any way.

She closes her eyes and enjoys the feeling. Tatara was always so sweet. Always so kind.

"Alright, all done," Tatara says, tying the last ribbon into place. "Are you ready to eat?"

Anna nods, climbing to her feet and reaching out for Tatara's hand, wrapping her little fingers around it. She knows she's acting a little more clingy than she used to be, but she doesn't care. She's going to do as she wants. Whether that was a nightmare or a vision is still undetermined, but she's going to live to the fullest with her precious people and not waste a single moment.

Tatara leads her downstairs and lifts her up to sit in her seat next to Mikoto. He moves behind the counter and heads to the kitchen to help Izumo out. Anna swings her legs back and forth listening quietly to the Homra members around her.

"So, Mikoto," Bando says, leaning onto the counter to look down at Mikoto. The Red King breaths out a lung full of smoke away from Anna before looking over at Bando, waiting for him to continue. "So I was thinking-"

"Did it hurt?" Chitose asks, grinning charmingly when Yata dips his head a bit to snicker.

Bando shoots both of them a dirty look - or as much of a dirty look as he could behind his sunglasses. Then he returns his attention to his King, who was staring at him blankly. "That word through the grapevine is that someone's been sniffing around fourth street asking about Homra."

That gets everyone's attention. Mikoto blinks slowly, putting his cigarette back into his mouth.

"What do you mean, 'asking about Homra'?" Kamamoto asks, making air quotes. "You mean us?"

"What else could he mean?" Yata asks, glaring at his friend before looking to Bando. "Let's go kick some ass then." He stands up, reaching under the bar to grab his bat.

"Wait!" Tatara says, making Yata, and Dewa, who was half way to his feet, freeze. "No one is going to beat up anyone on an empty stomach." Tatara and Izumo walking back into the bar area and set down the plates of waffles and bottles of syrup onto the bar and spread it out for all the members to be able to get some. Izumo grabs out more plates for them to use and utensils.

"What's going on now?" Izumo asks.

Mikoto lets out a lungful of smoke. "Apparently someone's looking for information on us."

Anna reaches down into her lap and clutches a handful of her red dress, an uneasy feeling settling in her gut.

Izumo tilts his head slightly. "Wait, you mean down on fourth street? Yeah, I heard about that. Out of town gang bangers looking to mix into Shizume City's dwindling underground crime syndicates."

Mikoto grunts, looking annoyed. He puts his cigarette out in the nearby ashtray and puts two waffles on his plate and smothers it in syrup. He takes the fork and knife offered to him by Tatara and begins cutting up his food.

Anna sticks her hand into her pocket and pulls out one of her marbles, looking into it's red, eyebrows pulling together. She mentally debates on whether she should say something or not. They were a bunch of ruffians, but nothing that couldn't be handled with by Homra. Nothing bad happens, so there really isn't a need for Anna to get involved - if these are the same people that Homra dealt with... in her vision.

Yes, it's either a coincidence or this is just fate piling on the possibility that she really did have a very disturbing vision of the future. One that she's not looking forward to. Especially if the outcome ends up being the same. No, don't think about that anymore. Not right now.

"They think that just because the crime rate is going down, that they can somehow sneak in and make a profit?" Yata asks, fists clenched tightly, angered. But he obeys the silent command to sit by Izumo when he puts a plate down in front of him. He piles on the waffles and syrup and eats, face twisted into a look of anger, glaring at nothing in particular. Kamamoto smiles knowingly at his friend.

"Settle down, Chihuahua," Eric says in English, pouring a bit of syrup over his waffles.

That only serves to aggravate the vanguard even more. "What the hell did you say, Eric? I understood part of that!"

Eric looks over at Yata with an amused look. "Little dog with a big dog complex."

"More English?" Yata hisses. "No one can understand you!"

"I did," Izumo says, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"Me too," Bando says, lowering back into his seat normally. Seeming resigned that nothing will be done right this moment.

"I understood too, Yata," Anna says softly, immediately realizing her mistake when all eyes turned to her. Tatara, with a fork-full of waffle half way to his mouth, pauses, staring at Anna with wide eyes.

Shohei leans on the bar, being mindful not to lean into anyone's food, says, "Honestly, Anna, I didn't know you knew English."

An even more unsettling feeling stirs in her gut and she moves her food around with her fork, no longer feeling up to eating. Anything she tired to eat now would be like ash in her mouth. She didn't know how to tell them that in her vision she had learned from Eric about a year from now. That while she was, by no means, any sort of expert in English, she had learned enough from him to pick up a great portion of what he was saying.

"I'm sorry," Anna murmurs. "I... I don't know how to explain..." Or if she really wanted to. While evidence is piling on that she did in fact have a vision of the future, she wasn't sure she knew enough to properly convey it. For some reason there is massive holes in her memory of the vision that she needs to sort out. But on the opposite side of the coin, the longer she goes without thinking about it, the higher the risk of her forgetting something important.

"It's okay," Tatara says, smiling kindly before taking a bit of his waffle, chewing slowly. "You don't have to sugar coat anything. Just say it."

Anna lays the fork down and looks at her lap, twin white eyebrows pulling together. "I learned..."

"Obviously," Yata asks, "but how?"

Anna shakes her head, not wanting to answer. Not really knowing what to say. She reaches up and touches the ends of her ribbons, twirling them around her finger before she finally turns the chair away from the bar and pushing off. She lands on the floor with a thud, stumbling a bit before she walks over to the couches and sits, narrowing her eyes.

"Anna?" Tatara calls, laying his fork down and walking around the bar and over to the little girl, sitting next to her. "What's going on?"

Anna reaches into her pocket and pulls out the other red marbles, cradling all four in her hands. "I need the map," she murmurs. "I need to find someone."

Tatara's brown eyes widen slightly and he looks passed her at the rest of Homra, still sitting at the bar, munching quietly looking very confused. And then there's Mikoto, who's bright golden eyes are staring at Anna as if slowly peeling her apart layer by layer. Tatara looks back down at Anna and lowers his head to try and look into her eyes, but she avoids eye contact.

"What's wrong Anna? Why are you looking for someone?" Tatara asks softly, reaching out to push stray strands of long white hair back over her shoulder. "Does this have something to do with your dream?" He asks knowingly.

Anna shakes her head slowly. "No," she says. "It has everything to do with it. I think... it was a vision."

"Anna," Shohei says, tilting his head, "if you think it's a vision, then why didn't you say anything?"

Anna's eyebrows pull together. "I don't... know. It was a very... bad vision..." Anna honestly didn't know what to say. She didn't know for certain. There is something just holding her back. She has to deal with things problem at a time.

"What was it about?" Fujishima asks, chewing quietly on his waffles.

Anna moves her marbles around, listening to them clack around in her hands, feeling her stomach sink even further. "A lot of bad, sad things..." she mumbles. "It was..." she sighs, closing her hands around the marbles and stops moving them. "I've never had a vision so long... so much happened it in. I think... I have whip-lash."

Shohei and Chitose both share looks at Anna's words. They aren't used to her talking like that.

If what she saw truly was the future and not just some horrible dream, than she mustn't waste a single second. This is her chance to make sure things come out in a more favorable light. At least, that's the plan. But now Anna is warring with herself. She wants to spend as much time as possible with her precious people, no matter what the costs. But in the same breath, if by being away from them here and there will ultimately keep them with her longer, shouldn't she take the chance and do just that? She was given this vision for a reason, she must have the ability to alter it, if this little experiment reigns supreme.

"I need to verify..." Anna murmurs, looking over at Mikoto. "I need to know if what I saw was truly a nightmare or a vision that needs to be dealt with. I can't... I can't focus on anything else." She bows her head. "I'm sorry." Her little eyebrows pull together, making her look genuinely upset.

A little warily, Tatara stands and grabs the map Anna uses to locate things or people and brings it to the young Strain. Anna takes the map and lays it onto the coffee table in front of her, smoothing it out and laying her marbles around it. She holds her hands over it, hovering just under a foot above the paper, and closes her eyes. It's a strange feeling, summoning up her power. She can maneuver it like she's been practicing for years - because she had, but it's a lot easier than she remembers - but it also feels weird, foreign even. Like there was something unfamiliar about it. Places untraveled within her own power.

It took a record time of thirteen seconds before the marbles rolled into place, having located the boy with the messy white hair and big red eyes. The Colorless King.

"Woah," Kamamoto says, raising his eyebrows beyond his shades. "I've never seen Anna locate anyone that quickly before!" Yata nods briskly, eyes wide. Chitose and Dewa both share a look, mouthing something to each other. Even Mikoto and Izumo glance at each other, communicating with their eyes before looking back over at Anna and a surprised look Tatara.

"That's amazing, Anna! So quick! How did you do that?" Tatara asks, more interested in the red eyed girl than the marbles.

Anna blushes a bit. "I had a lot of time to practice," she mumbles, thinking back to the four years that she spent trying to master her powers as they continued to grow rapidly during her puberty.

Anna shakes the thought away and leans in close to look at where the marbles gathered. The cold fingers of fear runs down along her spine, making her shiver in fear.

"Anna?" Tatara asks, reaching out to put an arm around her. "Are you okay, Princess? Who were you looking for?" He looks down at the collection of marbles all centered around Homra. He makes a confused noise and looks back at Anna, noticing her skin slightly paler than a moment ago. "Anna? Anna, what's wrong? Who did you look for?"

Anna stares at the paper and then out the window, passed Tatara to see the early afternoon sunlight filtering in through the windows in the front of the building, then back to the map. Her small hands curl up into tight little fists, her pale face losing more color. Mikoto finally pushes himself away from the bar and walks over to Anna, stuffing his hands into his pocket and tilting his head. After a moment of her not even sensing his presence, too lost in her thoughts, he leans down to be eye level with her by bending at the waist.

"Anna," he says. Then waits about ten seconds before he says again, "Anna." She blinks, focusing in on Mikoto's face. She opens her mouth, closes it, then opens it again. Mikoto locks eyes with her and says, "Who are you looking for?"

"I found..." she says softly, eyes wide, now focused on the windows, as if that person she feared would just come flying in through the front door ready to fight to the death. Anna almost didn't doubt it being a possibility.

"Who?" Tatara asks softly. He runs his hand up and down her arm in a slightly comforting manner.

Her shoulders slump a bit. If it wasn't for the fact that she knew that he wouldn't make his move until the seventh of December, then Anna would fear the audacity of the Colorless King and his probable willingness to come face the red clan.

"Tatara's killer," she says. And the chill within her seems to fill Homra's bar. "Tatara is going to die," Anna whispers, raising her eyes to look at the door. "And his killer is watching us."

Tatara swallows thickly, looking around for a moment to try and organize his thoughts. Then, he forces an even smile, trying not to look completely shocked by Anna's words. Mikoto's eyes narrow dangerously, looking over to the windows.

"Who is it?" Mikoto asks, standing up.

"Wait, King," Tatara says, standing up as well, holding his hands up. "There is no need to be rash about this. No need to fight. If I know who it is, I can just avoid them right?" The rest of Homra climbs to their feet. Picking up bats and pipes and zipping up hoods and pulling down hats. "Guys, come on!" Tatara says again, stepping in front of Mikoto to stop him from just storming to the door with his band of merry misfits.

"Tell us who he is, Anna," Yata growls, bringing the bat down hard on his hand, but not seeming to feel it.

Anna shakes her head. "We can't face him now."

"Anna, this is Tatara we're talking about," Shohei says, shocked. "We have to stop him."

"The date," Anna says, standing up. "What is it?"

Izumo steps slowly around the counter. "It's the first of December, Anna. Why, do you know the day he'll kill Tatara?"

Anna nods and reaches out to touch Mikoto's hand, curled up into a fist so tight that his knuckles are turning white, tugging on it gently until the Red King looks down at her, a deep scowl still on his face.

"Mikoto," Anna says. "We can't kill him here or now. December 7th at 11:45. That's when he shoots Tatara."

Tatara, who had his hands flat against Mikoto's chest in a vein attempt to hold back his enraged King, looks down at Anna sharply. "Right before..."

Anna nods solemnly, her eyes saying it all. "The one that kills Tatara is going after the Silver King as well. He is capable of taking over someone's body for an indefinite amount of time. When he kills Tatara, he's going to blame it on the Silver King by switching bodies with him. He wants us to get involved for vengeance and the Blue King to get involved out of duty. The Silver King will be trapped in the middle."

Izumo makes his way over to Anna, Mikoto and Tatara, pulling his one of his hands onto Mikoto's shoulder and the other on Anna's head. Anna looks up at Izumo with big red eyes. In her mind's eye, she can see Izumo, years from now hunched over the bar, staring into the reflection of a dirty glass with eyes lacking any sort of emotion. Just pure brown blankness. He would be leaning heavily on the bar, running his hands over his face and through his hair. He was past sadness. He was past despair. He was just blank.

So when this Izumo stares down at her with wise, kind eyes, Anna presses her face into the side of his hip and looks up at him with big eyes. In her mind she continues to promise herself that she isn't going to let that blank, emotionless, lifeless Izumo reappear at the loss of both best friends and the stability of the rest of the Red Clan. She is going to do anything and everything she can to keep them all together.

That's why, even though Anna wants nothing more than to stop the people who are going to hurt her family, something deep in her gut tells her that they have to be very careful. Anna doesn't know why, but there is still something that they need to do. Anna has to wonder if it's somehow connected to the parts in the vision that were conveniently left out for some reason. It can't be because they were unimportant or she wouldn't be having this aching feeling in her heart right now. She wants to stop the Colorless King, yet right now doesn't seem like the right time.

"Mikoto, think about this for a moment," Izumo says smoothly. Mikoto's face relaxes a slight bit, listening to his longtime friend. "Anna had a vision that involved us, the Blue King _and _the Silver King. This is by far the biggest one she's ever had. And she knows exactly who we are going to lose and when and she's still asking us to hang on for a moment. Why doesn't we take a moment to sit down and talk about this thoroughly. So we don't go and do something stupid and waste this chance to save Tatara, hm?" He looks over his shoulder at the riled Homra members. "So settle down boys, Mikoto, and lets talk this through."

"King," Tatara says, slowly staring up into Mikoto's eyes, "please. Just calm down. Remember, nothing's happened yet. Your powers are for protecting, just give your mind a minute to recall that."

Mikoto grunts, shaking his head and reaching into his pocket and pulling out a cigarette, putting it into his mouth and lighting it with a flick of his finger. He takes a long, deep, drawn out breath before letting the smoke out of his lungs and relaxing a bit. He turns toward Anna and Izumo pulls his hand away as Mikoto picks her up by the back of her dress and walks her over to the bar, dropping her down in her seat and plopping down back in his, obviously no longer interested in eating and calm enough not to just go storming outside. That pulls the rest of the Homra members back to their seats, looking less than enthused about the turn of events and while Tatara still looks a bit shaken by the news of his up and coming demise, he is a bit relieved that Mikoto has calmed down enough to discuss what to do next.

Mikoto stares down at Anna for a long time, studying her with his eyes before finally he leans back in his chair, giving Anna his undivided attention and gruffly commanding out, "Talk."


End file.
